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Silva warns Chelsea and laughs off London link

Date published: Monday 15th February 2016 9:46

Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva has denied speculation that he is heading for Chelsea and says he wants to finish his career with PSG.

Reports from his native Brazil suggested that Silva, 31, was interested in moving to Stamford Bridge in the summer, but the PSG skipper is more than happy to see out his contract which expires in 2018.

Silva, who signed from AC Milan in the summer of 2012 for a fee of around £35million, has played in Brazil, Portugal, Russia, Italy and France but has yet to taste life in the Premier League and he’s not too bothered either, labelling the players “very tall”.

“It is a very strong, physical style of play with a lot of balls played high in the air. The players are very tall,” said Silva.

“And when the ball is on the ground it is played with a great intensity. The referees let it go – they don’t call a normal foul. They let play continue. For us defenders it is magnificent to play like that! But it is more difficult for the attacking players.”

Silva, who has claimed he never wanted to leave Milan, eventually signed for PSG in a double deal with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but it took the French club six months to persuade him before he finally signed a contract after the 2012 Olympics.

The Brazil star is however more than happy with life in the French capital and believes the club are now primed to win the Champions League after improving greatly in the last 12 months.

“As captain of the team I say we are close and ready to win,” added Silva “We know that it is possible although, obviously, we also know that it is not easy. But I have a lot of confidence that PSG has the quality to go all the way. I know the quality of this team, I am very proud of this team. We can do it.”

PSG host Chelsea in the first leg of Champions League last 16 at the Parc de Princes on Tuesday night and Silva has issued a warning to the Blues, who they have faced twice in the same competition in the last two years.

“It’s a magnificent draw because I think we already know this team, Chelsea, quite well,” said Silva.

“They [Chelsea] have got a lot of Brazilian players, it’s not far from Paris and there is already the rivalry.

“Yes, it’s the third time we have faced them in three years. We lost the first time we played Chelsea [in the quarter-finals in 2014, after which Silva says he had a sleepless night] and then we won the second time and this is the third. So I think you can talk about it being a rivalry between us.”